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Bunji, Fay Ann register for Soca Monarch

By
Wayne Bowman
wayne.bowman@trinidadexpress.com

Story Created:
Jan 3, 2013 at 10:55 PM ECT

Story Updated:
Jan 4, 2013 at 8:47 AM ECT

Former International Soca monarchs Bunji Garlin and his wife, Fay Ann Lyons-Alvarez, have each registered for the 2013 International Power and Groovy Soca Monarch competitions, but they have not yet decided whether or not they will actually compete.

Garlin confirmed this yesterday after competition founder William Munro said he was very excited to have Bunji and Lyons-Alvarez back on the Soca Monarch stage.

Munro also said he was happy that five-time Soca Monarch SuperBlue, who was the first-ever winner, has returned to the competition.

"The Lyons, and that includes Bunji, are really making a statement this year and I am so happy, ecstatic, to have them back in the Soca Monarch.

"I know that every year we say that it is the most exciting year, but this time it is overwhelmingly exciting. The music from these artistes is phenomenal and we have had over 300 of them registering for the preliminaries.

"It's nearly time to close off and if you see how jam-packed the office is," Munro said.

Garlin is presently in St Croix for performances there and he wrote in a Twitter message: "The songs are registered in case there is a decision to enter. Fans are calling, so we are watching."

Since Bunji Garlin released "Differentology" people have been begging him to enter Soca Monarch via Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and BBM.

These messages have numbered in the thousands and have come from people all around the world.

Lyons-Alvarez has also been receiving messages and comments from people asking her to enter Soca Monarch and declaring her the 2013 National Road March winner with her song, "The Stage Open".

The couple, who stayed away from the competition last year and said in the past they will only return if their fans really want them to, had remained silent as to what they are doing...until now, having actually met the registration deadline, which was at 5 p.m. yesterday.

As for SuperBlue, Lyons-Alvarez's father, his song, "Fantastic Friday", released on Wednesday, has already garnered thousands of hits on the various social networks on which it is posted. Radio DJs and members of the public are saying that he is the current frontrunner.

Preliminary judging takes place on Sunday at Cascadia Hotel, St Ann's, where the adjudication team will spend the day listening to the songs submitted to select the semi-finalists of the Power and Groovy Soca competitions.

The names of the semi-finalists will be revealed on Tuesday, and the semi-final will take place at Arima Velodrome on January 20.